“What’s the problem with Indian news anchors” screams my roommate, insisting on changing the channel as soon as I accidentally tune to Times Now’s “ Super Prime Time”. Our anchor is bashing/bullying a politician trying to put his word into others mouth. He doesn’t stop until the politician throws the mike and walks away!!

I agree to roommate’s demand and tune to another channel. I guess, may be the anchor thinks that politician are not mature or civilized enough and they need a serious moral teaching on his show. But what about the anchor himself. Someone has said “Don’t civilize people by killing them” like Raj did to us. I prefer replacing bullying for killing here. Few days before I saw a journalist asking fleeing citizen from border areas “ How did you feel after the shell fell into your varandah”. I don’t guess he was any civilized asking this.

Q: Does our media need to civilize ??

A: Yes

Part 2

Meanwhile, I tune to Al Jazeera, a talk is going on , experts of multinational identities are on panel. Experts of US and Russia give exactly opposite opinion on Ukraine crisis and the talks proceeds smoothly. No anger could be seen when one expert contradicts the other, neither the anchor tries to make experts agree on “minimum basic programme” and issue a joint statement.The anchor barely speaks in between.

At the end of each talk show in india the anchor “BINDS” it all and issues a joint statement on behalf of experts. I imagine the same anchor issuing joint statement after Modi-Putin summit talks.

Q: Should the anchor let audience make their own opinion rather than taking up your inference or so called “take home message” ?

A: Yes

Part 3

When my nephew got sick I took him to a pediatrician, when my Dad’s blood glucose shoots up I rush to an endocrinologist.

When I want a bit serious input on recent IMF policy reforms I have depend upon same anchor, when I need to know about internal security issues, I have to rely on same anchor. Whether it be national politics, defence matter, geopolitics, health, economics, science or the environment, same anchor is ready to enlighten me. Is it possible for a single person to have knowledge of every field.

Can a single person delelop the ability of asking prudent question related to every field in the world and grasp what is being said by expert? Can an anchor become “SARVAGYA”?

Q: Do our anchors need to specialise ??

A: Yes

Is the audience always at the receiving end? Yes!! Is the only thing that I can do as an audience is to change the channel. Has the anchor got some ethics and shouldn’t he follow it because he has got a chance to help countrymen make independent opinion.

By: Dr. Akash Kumar Pandey

MBBS, MD (Ped.)

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